Africa is a continent on the move and the youths seem to be disconnected from any form of leadership or vision to help them take the continent to the next level. MentorAfrica looks to help youths, through various life transition mentoring topics, to prepare youths for development and leadership whenever the need arises.

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Monday, 17 August 2015

THE TRUE SPIRIT OF A TYPICAL AFRICAN

A letter of gratitude to our African elder brothers and sisters who became our parents by choice and sponsored us willingly…The true spirit of a typical African

No matter what everybody will think or say, there is a fact about Africa that cannot be challenged in the highest court of law. In Africa, we have a spirit of unity and belongingness. There is a love that each African has for his fellow African that cannot be described. When out of Africa, you find Africans coming together to help each other because of the common bond they share. In Africa, a child belongs to the mother only when he is in the womb, but once he is born, he is the responsibility of the society. This spirit of unity and love originates from the smallest unit of the society, the family.

Thanks to the media, we are able to understand how people from different continents behave and relate to each other. It is common in Africa to find someone housing a stranded individual because they are from the same village, region, Country or by virtue of the fact that they are fellow Africans.

To our African elder brothers and sisters, in and out of Africa words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards you for willingly sponsoring us through secondary school right up to the university. While we were young, we thought it was a right for you to do so. We impatiently made a long list of needs and requirements and presented them to you, some of us by phone and some of us through email. You never said No without an explanation. If you could not help us at the moment, you told us kindly, saying you had received our message and you will see what you can do about it.

We made demands from you without even asking if you had met all of your needs before trying to see us through life. Days turned into months and months turned into years. we finally grew up and came of age, ready for adulthood. Then the truth struck us. We realize what life is and understood what you were doing all these years.You sacrificed for us. Some of you had about 4 junior ones to look after and you simultaneously sent us to school. Not to mention, you even went to the extent of sponsoring us in expensive boarding schools.

Some of our African elder brothers and sisters landed good jobs out of Africa. Instead of living in luxurious homes and driving expensive cars, you gave up some of these things and much more to make sure we your younger ones back home could eat 3 square meals a day and wear descent clothes. We still remember the boxes of clothes, shoes and other electronics you sent back home, not forgetting the Christmas gifts you sent. Those of you who are out of the country sacrificed your time to be able to help us. It is now that we realize what you did for us. Some of you took up two jobs, some of you added odd jobs to your normal jobs and after paying all the numerous bills you have by the end of the month (mortgage, health insurance, electricity bills,water bills, car insurance, gas bills, credit card bills, Internet bills, cable bills, taxes....), you still took care of our basic needs willingly.

Some of you helped our parents in raising the family. The moneys you gave our parents helped cut down the number of large farms we worked to sustained ourselves. By so doing, we were able to concentrate more on our studies. The most important sacrifice some of our elder ones did for us was that they dedicated their lives to making sure that their younger ones attained a certain level in life through education. While some of your age mates and friends were buzzy getting married, you put your life on hold to bring us up to a level where we could look after ourselves.

Your numerous act of kindness and selflessness will continue to inspire us for the rest of our lives. Sincerely, we couldn't have made it this far in life without you. No amount of money is worth the sacrifice you made for us. You will forever remain our heroes and role models. We have grown up to realize that life is not a bed of roses. You will always have a place in our heart. God bless you.